Rise of the Dark Angel
by Dolphingirl32173
Summary: A princess, second in line for the throne of Makai, flees her position to become a thief with the help of none other than Hiei. Full Summary inside. DISCONTINUED!
1. Prologue

Rise of the Dark Angel

DG32173

This is the start of a new series. I hope it turns out good. Though, I'm not sure exactly how I'll write this story. I know there are going to be at least three fics in this series. And, crazy as it sounds, I got the idea for the third fic before I got the idea for the first two. And by the time this is posted, I will already be several chapters into the story so I can try to post regularly and still work on the story. Well, someone do the disclaimer.

Yusuke: DG doesn't own YYH. She only owns her characters and whatever you read here that doesn't include the YYH cast.

**_WARNINGS! PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS! DO NOT READ THIS FIC IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS!_**

OOC on Hiei's part, minor cussing, future lemons, and future fight scenes that may get rather gory. I'll let you know if anything else will happen that may not be liked by some.

**FULL SUMMARY**

Born of darkness, but raised of light, the princess is powerful but loved by all those who meet her. Even the thieves. But, she hates her position and runs away from it to become a thief herself. This story tells how Princess Lunetta Avian has risen above the ideals set for her by others and makes her own status as the infamous thief called Dark Angel, known as Shadow Silversong to friends. And how she had found love in the most unlikely of places. (Hiei/OC)

**NOTE**

(Author notes)

"_Singing"_ (minus when in memories)

'_Telepathy'_ (minus when in memories)

Memories POV change Scene change Scene change in memories 

'Thinking'

"Talking"

**DESCRIPTIONS**

Shadow

Name: Lunetta Avian

Age: looks 18, is 25 (present day (otherwise known as chapter 1) (five years younger than Hiei)

Height: 4'9" (present day)

Eye color: ice blue

Hair color: ebony black

Hair style/length: straight/waist

Class: former Princess, ½ shadow fox demoness, ½ elemental angel, psychic, mid- to upper-A class

Ears: pointed, covered in a thin coat black fox fur, but not fox

Tail: black, fluffy, fox

**INDEX**

**(THIS LIST IS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER! NOT IN ORDER IT IS IN THIS FIC!)**

Lunetta: little moon (Italian girl's name)

* * *

Prologue

Childhood Meetings and Running Away

"Princess Lunetta! Where'd you go? PRINCESS LUNETTA!" one of her maids calls out from far away.

The ten-year-old princess doesn't respond. She's hiding in one of the many secret passages in the castle and is running toward the other end, which will let her out in an old abandoned temple several miles from the castle.

Soon, she reaches the exit and pushes the door open slowly, so that the Japanese style tracks that help the door open don't squeak from disuse. She moves the tapestry and nearly runs into a slightly taller demon. They stop and stare at each other for a few moments. She notices that the demon has eyes the same kind of red that the crimson carpets are at the palace and that his black, spiky hair has a white starburst.

"Who are you?" he demands.

"Lunetta," she says softly. "And who are you?"

He cocks his head to the side as if considering her question. "Hiei," he answers. "Can I call you Luna?"

"Sure," she says, nodding, and moves to go around him. He watches her cautiously. She notices this. "Is something wrong?" she asks.

He blinks. "No," he says shortly.

Lunetta shrugs. "You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna," she says. He looks at her strangely. "Well, I gotta go," she says.

"Wait," he says. She turns her ice colored eyes back towards him. "Where do you live?" he asks curiously.

She freezes. "There's a tunnel behind that tapestry. If you go through it, then you'll be in my bedroom," she answers shortly.

He looks slightly startled at her sharp reply. He nods. "Can I see you tonight?" he asks.

She looks at him, startled. "Why?" she asks.

He looks at his feet. "I don't have many friends, and I was wondering if you wanna be my friend," he says softly.

Luna smiles and touches his arm gently. He looks at her, surprised by the sudden touch. "Sure, I'll be your friend. I don't have many friends either," she responds just as softly. He smiles slightly. "I'll see you tonight, Hiei," she says, smiling at him. He nods and smiles back.

That night at about ten

Luna is sitting on her windowsill and looking outside at the moon when she hears the secret panel open. She turns a smiling face at Hiei. He looks around the room in amazement. "You live in the castle? Are you the princess?" he asks.

She lowers her eyes. "Yeah," she says softly. "I don't wanna be a princess. I just wanna be a normal person."

Hiei looks at her oddly. "But you can have whatever you want," he says, confused.

"That's just it. I wanna work for what I want, not get it just because I want it," she says, scowling. "I'm gonna runaway soon." She looks at him after she says this. "Can I stay with you, Hiei?"

He looks startled, the lowers his own eyes. "But I'm a thief," he says softly.

Luna cocks her head to the side. "But I don't care," she says. He looks at her, shock written all over his face. "We're friends, right?" she asks. He nods slightly. "Friends don't care about what each other is or does, because that is what makes that person who they are."

He smiles slightly. "Okay, you can stay with me," he says, happy to have someone who likes him for who he is. He's also happy that he won't be alone for much longer.

"I'll run away in one week at midnight. Meet me at the other end of the tunnel, okay?" she says.

"Okay, I'll wait there," he says, smiling at the young princess.

One week later

Luna slips silently through the secret panel, carrying two small sacks. One of the sacks is on her back, the other is in her arms. When she is through the panel and it closes, she turns and seals it shut with her psychic powers, so that the panel can never be used again.

She runs quickly through the tunnel and slows as she nears the end of it. She silently slips through the hidden door, moving the tapestry out of her way, and sees Hiei there waiting for her. She smiles at him and hands him one of the sacks. He looks at it curiously. "It is food and clothing," she answers to the unspoken question. "I'm gonna seal the door shut so that it can't be used again."

He nods and watches as she seals the door shut the same way she had the panel in her room. "What are you gonna wear? Anyone would be able to realize that those clothes belong to a princess," he says.

"That's why I grabbed some of the servants clothing that is so old that it has holes and stuff. And I can use some of the soot in the fireplace over there to rub on my face and arms and the clothes so that I'll look like a street kid," she says. "And we can sell these clothes at the black market."

"You have this all thought out, don't you?" he asks, impressed. "Have you come up with a name to be called? I can't go around calling you by your real name. The guards who'll be looking for you will recognize it immediately."

Now she looks thoughtful. "How about Shadow Silversong?" she asks.

"That's a cool name," Hiei says, smiling. "From now on, you're Shadow Silversong."

She smiles back. "We better get to work with the disguise. I wanna be as far from the palace as we can get by the next sunset," Shadow says.

"Okay," Hiei says. He politely turns so that she can get changed and then helps her look like a street kid. They mess up her hair and cover it and her face, arms, and clothes in the soot and dirt in the fireplace. Now, Princess Lunetta Avian is no longer, and Shadow Silversong is born from the one formerly the princess.

* * *

That's it for the prologue. Chapter 1 will be up soon … I hope. 


	2. Feelings Grow Stronger

Rise of the Dark Angel

DG32173

Here's chapter 1. I hope you enjoy. This is going to be a fun series to write.

Kurama: DG doesn't own YYH. She does own Shadow and the events that take place in this series.

**NOTE**

(Author notes)

"_Singing"_ (minus when in memories)

'_Telepathy'_ (minus when in memories)

Memories POV change Scene change Scene change in memories 

'Thinking'

"Talking"

**REVIEW REPLIES**

MystiKoorime: YAYS! I'm glad you like! I'm glad you liked it. I'm considering making a one-shot for a off-shoot of this story. But I'm still in the process of writing it. I'm good at OCs? Wow! I didn't think I was that good. Thanks!

Sue-Killer from Live Journal: I'll take that as a compliment.

Kitiana: Shadow was ten, Hiei was fifteen in the prologue. Hiei's five years older than Shadow a.k.a. Princess Lunetta. The prologue was showing how Hiei had helped the princess escape from royalty. But she hasn't escaped forever. You'll find out what I mean in a few chapters. Glad you like it!

Hiei lover-nikki: I'm always grumpy when I'm up too late or I wake up too early, so I understand the feelings. I'm glad you like this fic!

HieiFan666: yes, I know he's OOC. He'll be somewhat OOC throughout this fic, so be warned. Next fic in the Dark Angel series (Fall of the Dark Angel) will be when he'll go back to normal, grumpy old Hiei. But not until the end.

_**WARNING:**_

AT THE END OF THE NEXT FIC IN THE SERIES (Fall of the Dark Angel) THERE **_WILL_** BE CHARACTER DEATH! SO BE WARNED! IF YOU DON'T LIKE CHARACTER DEATH, THEN QUIT READING THIS SERIES RIGHT NOW!

Thank you. Now here's the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 1

Feelings Grow Stronger

Hiei watches silently as his partner and best friend scans the crowded marketplace for an easy steal. It's been a little more than fifteen years since she had ran from her position as Princess Lunetta Avian, Second in Line to the Throne of Makai. She had taken the name Shadow Silversong and had become a thief and a close friend to himself.

Her long ebony hair sways slightly in the gentle breeze. "There," she says softly, pointing from their perch on top of a tall building near the marketplace. In the fifteen years since they met and have been friends, her voice has become softer, subtler, and more feminine. Her appearance had also changed from a young, innocent ten-year-old princess to that of a beautiful, but dangerous, thief who appears to be only eighteen but is actually twenty-five.

He looks to where her finger is pointing and sees a jewelry stall on the very edge of the marketplace. Though one of the farthest from the larger lower-class crowds and the easiest for thieves to steal from easily, it's also one of the easiest to leave from when the marketplace closes and also attracts the smaller upper-class crowds that dislike large crowds. He smirks when he sees the expensive jewels, gold, and silver. "Fifteen minutes?" he asks, knowing she'd understand that he means how long before the crowds become few and far between in the quickly approach sunset.

"Eighteen," she replies. "If you want to risk getting caught, then thirteen."

"Start in fifteen," he says, meaning that they should get ready to grab some of the jewelry in fifteen minutes.

"Agreed," she says, saying that she agrees to the time.

They wait in silence as the darkness quickly grows from the east. Soon, it's time to begin the theft. Shadow glances around to make sure the crowds won't approach until it's too late. "Now or never," she says.

Together, they jump quickly from the rooftop to a rooftop closer to the ground. Then they jump to the ground and move silently towards the stall. Hiei stays in the shadows, as he'd been a thief for nearly twenty years now, since he was ten himself, so his face is very well known among the general public. Shadow moves forward to pretend to look at the different jewels and jewelry. The vendor smiles at the beautiful young lady who is supposedly looking at the jewels and jewelry to perhaps purchase a few or let her suitor know what she'd like and let him come and purchase trinkets for her.

She looks at the different jewels and jewelry, hiding some in her coat when the vendor didn't notice. She smiles at the vendor and asks how much a couple of the beautiful bracelets cost. He tells her, and she pulls out some of the pick-pocketed demon money she has with her and pays for them, so the keeper wouldn't be suspicious. She thanks him and walks away slowly, so that he isn't suspicious as to why she'd be moving quickly.

She walks up to Hiei, who's hiding on the outside of the east gate of the marketplace. "Got some," she says.

He raises an eyebrow at the two bracelets she's holding in her hand. "And you bought those with what money?" he asks.

"Why do you think I asked you how to pickpocket without being noticed until it's long gone?" she asks, smiling innocently.

He rolls his eyes. "Figures," he mutters.

Shadow smiles as she puts the appropriated jewels and jewelry in one of the two large sacks that Hiei had held for her. She stands up when she's done and looks at the sky. "Come on, we have to find a place to stay for the night; it's going to rain tonight and I don't want to get wet," she says, grinning at him. He nods and they go to the nearby forest to find an abandoned building to stay in for the night.

After about an hour, they find a halfway decent forsaken dojo and run inside seconds before the downpour starts. Shadow goes in search of a decent room where they can sleep for the night. Hiei follows silently, having nothing better to do. Finally she finds one with a decent bed and even a bookcase with some forgotten books. She almost glides over the floor to the bookcase and looks at the different books. She smiles as she sees some that they don't have but should be interesting.

Hiei sits on the bed as she looks through the books. He gets lost in thought as she tries to decide which books they should take and which they should leave.

**Hiei's POV**

I watch in silence as she looks at the different books on the bookcase. I watch as the skirt of the dress she had made for herself out of "borrowed" fabrics swirls around her legs when she moves. She loves books and has "borrowed" several over the years. She's very beautiful and even smarter than she is beautiful, though that would be hard for any other woman to accomplish.

I love how she smiles and laughs at my rare jokes. I'm amazed even now how much she cares for young children on the streets and gives them some of what little food we have, even if that means we have to filch some more. She'd rather go hungry for a bit than to see any of the young children starve. Then I realize something. I'm falling in love with my best friend.

* * *

Well, that's it for chapter 1. Short, but I like it. Chapter 2 will be coming soon. Bye for now! 


	3. Leaving Only a Note

Rise of the Dark Angel

DG32173

Here's chapter 2. I hope people enjoy. Don't ask me when Hiei will admit his feelings, because I don't know though I've already planned the next few chapters in my head. Oh, and Youko and Koronue will make their appearance this chapter. You will understand the name of the chapter if you read the whole chapter. Well, on to the story after a disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own YYH, so quit asking.

**NOTE**

(Author notes)

"_Singing"_ (minus when in memories)

'_Telepathy'_ (minus when in memories)

Memories POV change Scene change Scene change in memories 

'Thinking'

"Talking"

**REVIEW REPLIES**

Slancaster113: (sorry I missed you in chapter 1!) I'm glad you like the difference. Hiei and Shadow became friends quickly because of how young they were when they met. They were a lot more trusting then, and their trust in each other grew over the years.

Pyrassoul: I'm glad you like it, and I hope you continue to enjoy the upcoming twists in the plot.

HieiFan666: yes, it is so cute! Him telling her? Well, look up at the top of the fic … I don't know when he'll tell her. I'm also considering a one-shot as a side thought of this story … but I don't know. Well, I hope you like the update!

* * *

Chapter 2

Leaving Only a Note

**Last time**

Then I realize something. I'm falling in love with my best friend.

**This time**

Shadow finishes picking out some of the books from the bookcase. She puts the books in one of their sacks, and then yawns. Hiei smirks. "Tired?" he asks.

She smiles at him. "Just a bit," she says. He rolls his eyes and makes room for her on the bed, like he's done every night for the past fifteen years. She smiles and lies down beside him. He wraps an arm around her waist so that she doesn't get cold during the night and they go to sleep like that. While asleep, Shadow moves closer to Hiei subconsciously as he hugs her tighter.

Next morning

Hiei wakes up to someone poking him and giggling slightly. He grabs the hand as it's about to poke him again and opens his eyes to glare slightly at Shadow. She just smiles at him. "Can you remove your hand from my waist so that I can get up?" she asks.

He smirks. "And why do you want to get up?" he asks, releasing her hand but not letting go of her waist.

She puts the finger she had been poking him with to her chin. "Hm. Good question," she says. "I guess there's no logical answer other than I want to get up."

He smiles. "Not good enough," he says. She pouts and turns on the puppy-dog eyes. He growls. "Fine," he says, being unable to resist such a cute look. (I warned you about OOC-ness, so don't yell at me that he's not in character! And he's only like this around Shadow and, soon, Youko and Koronue!) He releases her waist to allow her to stand. He looks out the window near the bed and notes that it's not quite sunrise yet. Which means it's only a little after five.

She pulls out some bread and dried meat they had "borrowed" a couple days ago and they eat silently. They leave the dojo as the sun starts to rise around six. They have a lot of distance to cover and not much time to do so in. They are heading for a small city composed almost entirely of thieves and a few traders. The city is about a seventy or so miles north of them and they want to get there by noon. To do so, they have to move quickly and take as few breaks as possible.

Five hours later

It's a little after eleven and Hiei and Shadow are within a mile of the thief city, Evander. Shadow is moving quickly over the ground of the large forest that surrounds Evander on all sides while Hiei as leaping from tree to tree. They had estimated they'd be there by noon, but they will be there at least thirty minutes earlier than planned.

Soon, they are out of the forest and heading for the south gate. A thief watches them as they approach. "Password?" the thief growls. To get into Evander, or any thief city for that matter, through one of the two gates, you have to know a secret password that changes frequently and is known only to thieves.

Hiei says the password, which I am forbidden to tell you, and the thief allows them to pass. Shadow and Hiei can now relax. The only ones who can trust a thief are other thieves. Which is why they had created about a hundred or so hidden cities in which to sell "borrowed" property and barter for food and drinks.

Hiei and Shadow move around and sell some of the jewelry that Shadow had filched yesterday for some money and trade some more of the jewelry for plenty of food that should last for weeks without spoiling.

Shadow also trades a large ruby for two more large packs that they could strap onto their shoulders. These packs are magical packs that had been created by some witch or wizard. The packs can hold several hundred pounds more than they look like they can and weigh only about ten to twenty pounds to the carrier. Like I said, magical packs.

Hiei and Shadow quickly exchange their belongings from their old packs to the new packs. They then sell the old packs for a few dollars in demon money. The trading and selling had taken several hours, during which they had taken breaks for lunch and dinner, and now sunset is closing in. Hiei and Shadow decide that they should head for the small inn to get a decent room for the night.

When they get there, though, they find that the last room had been given to a tall fox thief (anyone have a guess? Oh, come on! It's so easy! Trust me, you'll hit yourself if you don't guess it right!). Shadow decides to speak with the fox thief, since there are two beds in the room he was given and he's not sharing the room with anyone. After a few moments, she motions for Hiei to come over.

"Hiei, this is Youko Kurama (like I said, easy!). Youko, this is Hiei Jaganshi," she says, introducing the two. They nod at each other and Shadow tells Hiei that Youko had agreed to let them have the second bed in his room.

One hour later

Shadow, Hiei, and Youko had become fast friends. Shadow and Hiei are currently trying to convince Youko to come with them. Finally, Shadow decides to use the puppy-dog pleading-eyes. "Fine, fine! I'll come!" Youko says, unable to resist her cute face when she uses the puppy-dog eyes.

Shadow and Hiei grin slightly at the fox thief, who smiles back. The three-some get to know each other better over the next two hours and then decide to go to bed. Shadow is the first to fall asleep while Hiei and Youko talk softly so as not to wake the sleeping shadow vixen (ironic how she chose the nickname Shadow and is part shadow fox, no?). But they soon fall asleep as well.

The three had decided to share the larger of the beds instead of split up and use two. So now Shadow as sleeping with her head against Hiei's chest while she is facing him. The fire demon has an arm around her waist and resting his hand on a bit of skin visible on her back. Youko is lying on the other side of Shadow, so that his chest is against the small girl's back and his arm is hanging loosely around both of the smaller demons.

Five years later

In the five years since Hiei and Shadow had met Youko, the three had met up with a bat demon named Koronue and had him join them so now that they are a foursome thieving group. Shadow had just celebrated her thirtieth birthday. Hiei is going to be thirty-five soon, and Youko and Koronue are both about forty. But none of the four look a day over twenty at the latest. Shadow still looks to be only eighteen, which does have its advantages.

The foursome had taken over a small, deserted dojo a little over three years ago, about two months after Koronue had joined up with them. Strangely enough, the dojo has a small library with several forgotten books. The dojo is hidden in a forest about fifty miles north of the thief city of Nagoya (no, not the Nagoya in Japan!), the northernmost of the thief cities. Located in the hills at the base of the Northern Mona Mountains, very few of the demon police venture out this far. And those who do are easily dealt with. There are several mediocre sized cities within a ten mile radius of the dojo, so there are plenty of places and people to "borrow" from.

Currently, it's about two hours after dinner and Shadow is in the library finishing up a book that she hasn't read yet. Youko and Koronue are practicing in the training room across the hall, so she can hear them battling each other rather easily. She doesn't have any idea where Hiei is, though.

Her pointed ears perk when she hears someone's soft steps enter the library. She can still hear Youko and Koronue battling across the hall, so she suspects that it's Hiei. True to her suspicions, the slightly taller fire demon slouches in the chair across from her with a sigh. "You okay, Hiei?" she asks, not looking up from her book. She doesn't have to, she heard his sigh and knows he only sighs when something's troubling him or he has a lot on his mind.

"I'm fine," he says softly, noticing that she's nearing the end of her book. "Good book, I assume, seeing as you haven't read it before today and you're already near the end."

"Yes, it is good," Shadow says, finishing up the last paragraph. She closes the book and looks at him with a mock pout. "But the way it left off was very cruel. It's the first of a series, and now I have to look for the second book to find out what happens next."

He rolls his eyes at her. "You are very strange, you know that?" he says.

"Yes, you've told me many times, Hiei. As have Youko and Koronue," she says, smiling at him. He can't help but to smile back. Shadow's smiles are very infectious, causing everyone she smiles at to smile back at her.

"So I recall," he says. He watches as she stands up and puts the book back in its place and pull out another one. When they first appropriated the dojo as theirs, Shadow had forced the three guys to help her straighten up the library and alphabetize all the books by author's name, then titles and series by that author.

That task alone took the four of them two entire days and a half of a third day to complete. None of them had realized just how many books Shadow had managed to acquire. Combining those with the ones left scattered around the dojo had filled up about half of the rather large library. Well, large when compared to the rest of the rooms in the dojo. The library is the largest room in the dojo, a good three times larger than the kitchen, dining room, and living room combined.

Hiei's eyes follow Shadow's movements as she moves back to the chair she had formerly been sitting in. She sits down smoothly and opens the new book. After a few moments, she scowls. "Now what's your problem?" he asks, noting the scowl.

"The second book picks up two _months_ after the first one left off! Now I'll never know what happened!" she grumbles. "I really hate it when writers do stuff like that in series!"

Hiei rolls his eyes. That's Shadow for you. Always wanting to know what happens in a series of books in order and not skipping days from where the previous left off, much less weeks or months. She glares at the book in her lap angrily, but continues to read the book, muttering profanities at it under her breath every so often. "The book can't hear you, Shadow, so stop cursing at it," he says, getting up.

"Okay, okay, but that is so not right!" she says. Hiei shakes his head at her and leaves the room. He finds Youko and Koronue just coming out of the training room, covered in small scrapes and bruises, but otherwise alright.

Youko peeks in the library at Shadow and notices the look she's giving the book she's reading. "What's her problem?" he asks Hiei.

"She read the first book of a series and is now mad because the second one picks up two months after the first left off," Hiei says calmly, as if it is a regular occurrence. Which, basically, it is. Youko and Koronue roll their eyes and the three guys decide to head off to their separate rooms. Hiei and Shadow still share a bed, since there are only three bedrooms. Of course, they don't mind, as they've been doing it for about twenty years now anyways.

With Shadow

Shadow finishes up the book she's reading around midnight and puts it back in its place. She'll read the third book some other time. But she's not very tired at the moment and decides to take a walk in the gardens that Youko had nurtured behind the dojo. She walks calmly down the paths lined with beautiful plants. She makes her way to a special area Youko had made especially for her.

It's almost like a small grotto in the back of the gardens, furthest from the dojo. In it are some of her favorite flowers, which, surprisingly, are the same as Youko's: roses. The roses are in every color a rose comes in, from white to red to black and every other color in between. There's also a small swing, just large enough for two people, with a cherry wood seat and back that is suspended from an ancient oak tree by beautiful rose vines that, surprisingly, don't have thorns. The tree is situated behind her Grotto, which the guys had named Shadow's Grotto, on the very edge of the forest around the dojo. The guys never bother her when she's here unless it's an emergency or she asks them to come to her.

She sits on the swing, and leans against the back. She looks through the leaves of the old oak tree at the stars. She smiles slightly and closes her eyes. Only to snap them back open when she hears a horse coming through the forest towards her. She stands up and moves out of the Grotto and around the tall hedges that surround it. She watches silently as a white horse comes up. The horse's rider is dressed in fine fabric of silver and gold colors. A Royal Messenger. Dammit. She's been found after twenty years. "May I help you?" she asks the rider.

"Shadow Silversong?" the messenger asks.

"Yes," she says suspiciously.

"The King and Queen have ordered for your return, Princess Lunetta Avian," the messenger says.

"I'm afraid you are mistaken. There is no one here by that name, sir, and certainly no princesses," she says, holding back the anger she feels. She can't believe it. They _had_ found her. Damn, damn, damn!

"No, I am not. They have found you," he responds. "And if you do not return of your own free will, then the King and Queen will send a branch of the Royal Army to bring you back by force."

She glares at him. "Tell them I'm coming. I will need a horse to return to the palace, though," she says coldly.

"That has been arranged. There is a horse waiting for you in Lilieth. Talk to the innkeeper and he'll give it to you," the messenger says.

"Fine," she says, still cold and angry. She plucks a seed from her ebony hair and holds it threateningly, her ice-colored eyes flashing darkly in the moonlight. "Now leave, or I shall set a death tree on you and take your horse for myself."

The messenger nods, visibly paling. He quickly turns his horse around and leaves the way he had come. She sighs. Dammit, now she has to return. At least Lilieth is only a mile and a half away.

She heads inside and finds a sheet of paper and her favorite writing feather. Grabbing a small container of ink, she writes quickly, but neatly, a note to Hiei, Youko, and Koronue. Hiei will understand better than the other two, as he had been the one to help her become free of the title. She sighs and leaves the dojo, nothing but the note on the dresser beside Hiei's sleeping form telling of her departure.

The note reads

_Hiei, Youko, and Koronue,_

_Some stuff from before I became a thief that has come up again. I have to get this settled and work some other stuff out before I can return. I really wish that I didn't have to leave you with a note. I wish I didn't have to leave at all, but if I had stayed, some things would be happening soon that will cause several questions to come up that I can't truthfully answer at the moment. Please forgive me for the sudden departure, and I'll return as soon as I am able to. I swear this on the thief's code! No matter what, I'll always be your friend. I will miss all of you very dearly and will think of you often while I'm away. Maybe, when I return, I can tell you everything. But until then, don't forget me and I promise I will never forget any of you!_

_Much love, Shadow_

At the end of the note, she draws a very small crescent moon blocked slightly with a dark cloud. If one doesn't know what it is, then they will think it's merely a spot of spilled ink. Hiei will definitely know what that symbol means, because he's the one who came up with it as a code between the two of them.

* * *

Well, that's it for chapter 2. Very interesting how it ended. I think that this will turn into quite an adventure. Though the story will follow Shadow about ninety-percent of the time, I will try to show what is going on with Hiei and the other two. I know next chapter will show their reactions to the note, but I'm not sure when they will reappear after that. I know they will reappear near the middle of the fic, but that will be a long ways from now, so please, please, please forgive me for making you all wait! 


	4. Reactions

Rise of the Dark Angel

DG32173

Here's chapter three. This chapter will show the reactions of the guys to Shadow's sudden and unexpected departure. Only Hiei knows what she's talking about when she says before she became a thief. The other two only know that she's been a thief for about twenty years and nothing of before. So, let the chapter commence! But be warned, this chapter will be rather on the short side. But it only tells how Hiei, Youko, and Koronue react about the note, so it should be short. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THIS, AS IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THE STORY! IF YOU WISH TO, YOU CAN JUST GO ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER WHEN IT COMES UP!

Hiei: the onna doesn't own YYH, so quit bugging her about it.

_**NOTE**_

(Author notes)

"_Singing"_ (minus when in memories)

'_Telepathy'_ (minus when in memories)

Memories POV change Scene change Scene change in memories 

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_**INDEX**_

Commence: start, begin, etc. (I did this one just in case you don't know what it means)

_**REVIEW REPLIES**_

How did Shadow's parents find her? Ah, now, I can't go spoiling the story, now can I? You'll just have to wait and find that out for yourself soon!

Is she gonna kill them? Nope! But she _will_ be pissed as hell!

_**REQUESTS!**_

I would greatly appreciate if people would e-mail me a few **FEMALE** characters so I can pick two to be paired with Youko and Koronue. If you do that, it would be wonderful and help me out a _lot!_ Well, read the chapter and enjoy!

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Chapter 3

Reactions

**Last time**

_Hiei, Youko, and Koronue,_

_Some stuff from before I became a thief that has come up again. I have to get this settled and work some other stuff out before I can return. I really wish that I didn't have to leave you with a note. I wish I didn't have to leave at all, but if I had stayed, some things would be happening soon that will cause several questions to come up that I can't truthfully answer at the moment. Please forgive me for the sudden departure, and I'll return as soon as I am able to. I swear this on the thief's code! No matter what, I'll always be your friend. I will miss all of you very dearly and will think of you often while I'm away. Maybe, when I return, I can tell you everything. But until then, don't forget me and I promise I will never forget any of you!_

_Much love, Shadow_

At the end of the note, she draws a small crescent moon blocked slightly with a dark cloud. If one doesn't know what it is, then they will think it's merely a spot of spilled ink. Hiei will definitely know what that symbol means, because he's the one who came up with it as a code between the two of them.

**This time**

Hiei

Hiei stares at the note and rereads it for the tenth time. The other two are sitting in their chairs and are wearing similar shocked expression. He knows what she had left for. The "spot of spilled ink" tells him exactly what she left for. But the question is why? Did … did her parents find her! 'No, that can't be it. But that's the only logical reason,' he thinks, very unhappy. It's been nearly twenty years since she had run away, and they've found her. 'Dammit! Why did they have to find her! Why!' he yells in his head. But he doesn't dare say it out loud. They had never told Youko or Koronue, believing that particular part of her life long gone. And he won't tell them without her here. He had promised her that. There is no way he's going back on that promise. 'I can't forget you, Shadow. I love you, and I won't ever forget you. I swear it on the thief's code!' he whispers in his mind.

Youko

Shadow's gone? Why? Where did she go? It has to do with her past, but that's all he knows. He doesn't know anything about her life before she had become a thief. She and Hiei had both been very secretive about that, saying that what is past is done and gone. But apparently, that hadn't been quite true for her. 'Shadow, come back soon,' he whispers in his mind. 'Hiei's going to go crazy without her. He doesn't think that Koronue and I notice, but we can see that he's in love with her. We can also see that she returns the feelings for him. But we can also see that neither knows that the other loves them. Kami, I hope she returns soon.'

Koronue

'Shadow! Why'd you have to leave? You said you'd teach me how to fight with a sword so that I can use a sword or my scythe! Shadow, come back, soon. We're all gonna miss you, but Hiei's gonna be the worst. You stupid girl! He loves you, dammit! Why'd you have to go!' he yells in his mind. He looks out the window. They had all gathered in Hiei's room. The only window in the room has a perfect view of the inside of Shadow's Grotto. He knows that Hiei is gonna be very hard to deal with until she gets back. 'Come back soon, Shadow. We all need you. Especially Hiei.'

------------------------

That's it for chapter three. I told you it would be short. Chapter 4 will be up soon, I hope. Well, I hope that if you have something that you don't like about this, then you would tell me in a way that will help me fix the problem in the future and not just yell at me about the problem. I don't listen to reviews that just yell at me about a problem the reviewer has without an explanation on how to try to correct the problem. I won't even count it as something worth my time.


	5. Returning and Refusing the Crown

Rise of the Dark Angel

DG32173

Alright, here's chapter four. From here until Shadow returns to Hiei, Youko, and Koronue, the story will stay with Shadow. Shadow will not return to them for at least three chapters. You have been warned. This chapter will start off at the point Shadow goes into the inn at Lilieth.

Kurama: DG doesn't own YYH.

**NOTE**

(Author notes)

"_Singing"_ (minus when in memories)

'_Telepathy'_ (minus when in memories)

Memories POV change Scene change Scene change in memories 

'Thinking'

"Talking"

**INDEX**

Yuki: snow (Japanese) (The meaning is in the chapter, but I'll put it here to remind you)

* * *

Chapter 4

Returning and Refusing the Crown

**Last time (from chapter 3)**

'Come back soon, Shadow. We all need you. Especially Hiei.'

**This time (based after chapter 2)**

An hour after leaving the dojo, Shadow finds her way into the Inn in Lilieth. The fat innkeeper looks up sleepily, and possibly drunkenly judging by the half-empty bottle of Demon's Bane in front of him, from his position at the bar. "Why, miss, what is someone as pretty as you doing out so late?" he asks, trying to be coy, but only sounding like a sex-starved male whore.

"I am Princess Lunetta Avian, and I request the horse that was left here for me," she says shortly, not very happy with his tone.

Immediately, the innkeeper stands straight. "Oh, I'm sorry, Your Highness! Your horse is this way," he says, leading her to the stables. He leads her to a beautiful white mare that is only about two years old. "Are you sure you are willing to ride so late at night? I mean, that scoundrel Hiei and his friends live in these woods," he says, sounding worried.

"I'm not worried," she says, climbing onto the already saddled mare. "I can defend myself fairly well." She doesn't bother to say that she is a close friend of "the scoundrel Hiei and his friends".

"If you are sure," he says uneasily.

"I am, now move or I shall ride over your body," she says sharply. Needless to say, the innkeeper moved rather quickly for someone his size. She knees the mare, sending her into a sharp gallop. Several miles from the inn and the dojo, Shadow allows the mare to slow down to a brisk cantor. She gently strokes the mare's soft neck. "I'm sorry I made you run so long, friend. But I didn't want to be near that man anymore. And I have some friends I have to leave without even a goodbye. I just want to get to the castle and back a soon as I can," she murmurs to the horse. The horse whinnies.

Due to a part of her heritage that not even Hiei knows of, she can understand all animals, not just foxes. She hid her angel heritage from Hiei, even though she told him everything else. She just doesn't think he'd understand. "Thank you for understanding, friend. Do you have a name?" she asks softly, deciding that if she had to go to the castle with this beautiful mare, then she'd best make friends with her, since she'd be the only companion she'd have for most of the journey. Disappointingly to Shadow, the mare shakes her head briskly, as if disliking the situation of her own namelessness. "Well, I'll just have to give you one," Shadow says decisively. "How about Yuki? Your beautiful coat is as white as snow. Yuki is Japanese for snow." The mare whinnies, showing a great liking for the new name. "Then from now on, your name is Yuki. Answer only to those who call you by your given name and none other," she says, bestowing a name on the formerly nameless mare.

After a few hours of riding on forest trails leading south, the sun starts to rise as the forest starts to thin out. By the time the sun is completely in the sky, Shadow and Yuki have made their way completely out of the forest and into the grasslands.

After a few more hours, Shadow decides that it's time for them to find a place to stop and get some food and drink for the both of them. Thankfully, she had found a note in one of the saddle pockets. The note, written in her mother's distinct script, says that any who does not help her will be sentenced to torture and/or death without even a trial. Though Shadow would never tell her mother even if someone disobeyed the letter, she figures that the note will come to be quite handy.

Shadow hasn't seen her parents, much less spoken to them, in nearly twenty years. And if it were up to her, she wouldn't be heading for the castle to speak to them now. She would much prefer to have stayed with Hiei, Youko, and Koronue, living the _semi_-honorable life of a thief.

Shadow sees a town approaching in the distance. "Make it to that town, Yuki, then we will stop for food and drink and some rest. But we cannot stay for long," she says to her mare. She had decided that after she leaves the castle again, she will bring Yuki with her no matter who stood in her way. If someone tried to stop her from taking Yuki with her, she would make sure that the one who tries will be feeling great pain for several days as a lesson to all to stay out of her way who is not friend to her. She doesn't care if the one who would try to stop her were one of her own parents. Actually, if it were one of them, she'd make the pain several times worse.

Five days and several hundred miles later

Shadow rides Yuki right up to the gates of the castle. The guard looks at her. "May I help you, miss?" he asks.

"Princess Lunetta, reporting to see the King and Queen," she growls. She is not very happy. Each mile closer she'd gotten to the castle, a mile farther she gets from her friends and her _real_ home. She hasn't been more than a mile from Hiei in the twenty years since she had left right up until the damned messenger found her. And she's _not_ happy about that. She had grown so used to a slight buzz of Hiei's hidden thoughts in the back of her mind, and then two other slight buzzes of Youko and Koronue's thoughts, that she had grown not to notice them until they disappeared before she had even reached Lilieth. She may only be an mid A-class demoness, lower S-class at the very best, but she is one mighty powerful psychic. Only Hiei has been able to best her in the psyche area, and that was only _after_ he had the Jagan implanted to keep watch over his twin sister. And just barely even then. He had been a good psychic before, but not nearly good enough to best her.

The guard immediately opens the gate and lets her pass through, not bothering to say another word, for fear of another lashing from her sharp tongue. She and Yuki go through the gate and head for the castle. The guard had somehow let her parents know, as they are waiting almost impatiently on the steps of the castle.

"Lunetta!" her mother cries, reaching to touch her leg as Shadow rides Yuki towards them. Shadow has Yuki back away from her before the hand gets within a foot of her. Her mother seems startled. "What is it? Is something wrong, Lunetta?" she asks.

"My name is Shadow, and it would be wise to remember that," Shadow says, staying in Yuki's saddle. Her father and mother stare at her, unable to believe that this saucy, spiteful woman had once been their loving and polite daughter.

"Lune- … Shadow, where did you go? Why did you leave?" her father asks softly, fearing to bring out her temper.

"I left because I do not wish to rule over a single servant, much less an entire castle of them," she growls. "I left with a friend and have made more friends with him. If that is all, I wish to return to them."

Her mother looks at her sorrowfully. "Your brother is the one who insisted that we should find you. You should at least go see him before you leave," she says.

Shadow freezes in the middle of turning Yuki around. Her brother. The only being she had cared for in the hellhole that was her first ten years of life. "W-where is he? Where is Damion?" she whispers.

"He should be at the stables with the horses," her father says. "The entire castle has remained the same since you left. He insisted that you would return and that you would need some familiarity."

Shadow nods and rides Yuki towards the stables. As she approaches, she sees a tall young man with long black hair tied up in a ponytail in the stable yard stroking a young black stallion gently on the neck. His back is to her as she rides up. He turns when he hears the hoof steps behind him. He raises chocolate colored eyes to meet hers and drops the empty pail he had been holding. "Lunetta?" he whispers, almost disbelievingly. Of course he wouldn't believe it is her. He hasn't seen her in over twenty years.

"It's Shadow now. And hello again, Damion," she says softly.

"Mother said you would have changed your name," he says, his voice shaking slightly. Shadow practically throws herself off Yuki and runs forward to hug her older brother. He wraps strong arms around her small body. Though ten years older than her, Damion had always acted the part of a twin brother to her during her ten years at the castle. "I've missed you, sis," he murmurs into her hair.

"And I've missed you, Damion," she says softly, pulling back slightly.

"If you have lasted this long outside of the castle, I assume you have friends waiting for you," he says. "You must miss them."

She nods, surprised. "I do," she says softly. But as she had drawn within fifty miles of the castle, she had realized that she has much more of herself to discover and consider and settle many more things before she can go back to them and tell them everything. She knows she will have to tell them everything when she goes back. But she wouldn't be able to without a bit of time to herself. She had not been alone for more than a few hours in her entire life, not including the past few days since she had left the dojo. First, she was surrounded by maids, nannies, her brother, and, rarely, her parents; then she was with Hiei and, later, Youko and Koronue. She needs some time to herself. Which she won't get if she goes directly back to the dojo.

Her brother looks at her. "You can't go back immediately, can you?" he asks. "But you won't stay here either."

She looks at him and nods slightly. Damion and Hiei had been the only two people in the world, of either gender, who have been able to figure her out by just her expressions and the tones she speaks with. "I need some time to myself. Surprisingly, in all thirty years of my life, I haven't been alone for more than a few hours, not including the past few days of traveling," she says softly.

Damion looks at her and smiles. "I just wanted to know you were alright. That is why I wanted Mother and Father to search for you," he says. "Now that I see you are just fine, you can go back to your life on the outside. After all, you aren't going to rule Makai. Just stay safe, Shadow. You know I love you. Though I will miss you greatly, I won't stand in your way of trying to live your life for yourself. Take the mare with you. It seems she's become attached to you, and there are plenty of other horses here. Oh, and here," he says, pulling a small silver, oval-shaped locket from his pocket and gives it to her.

She clasps the locket around her neck and smiles. "Thank you, and I knew you'd understand," she says. "I'll miss you, Damion. I'll be sure to write to you to update you once in a while. I promise."

"Be sure that you do," he says. "Now go, before I change my mind and make you stay," he teases, pushing her toward her horse.

"Like you could!" she laughs, climbing onto Yuki. "Goodbye, Damion. May we see each other again, one day, and on our own terms," she says smiling. She goes to turn Yuki but pauses. "Tell Mom and Dad that I say goodbye. Tell them I'm sorry for how I treated them, that I hadn't expected to be called back after so many years. And tell them that I love them," she says to her brother. He nods and makes a shooing motion. "Okay, okay, I'm going!" she says, laughing. She rides Yuki out of the castle and smiles slightly at the guard at the gate. "I'm sorry I was rude earlier. Just tired from the long ride," she says to him.

He nods. "Understandable, Your Highness," he says.

She holds up a hand. "It's Shadow now. Shadow Silversong," she says. The guard nods with a grin. She smiles back and rides Yuki out of the castle and away from the capital city. In the outskirts of the city, she opens the locket and smiles when she sees a picture of a much younger Damion twirling a five-year-old image of herself over his head on one side and a picture of Damion by himself, as he currently is, on the other side. "Thank you, Damion," she whispers.

* * *

That's it for the fourth chapter of Rise of the Dark Angel! Thank you so much if you've read this far. Chapter five will be up soon. 


	6. Reunited, Admissions, and an Alias

Rise of the Dark Angel

DG32173

Sarah: Alright, chapter five is here! I'm on a roll! I'm hopeful that I can pull off this chapter as well as I believe I have the others. I liked them. Well, enough wasting time, so here's the chapter. Oh, and this chapter starts two months after the last chapter left off. **(My character would certainly hate this fic!)** Oh, I've changed my mind about keeping Youko, Hiei, and Koronue out for a while and they're gonna be back this chapter. AND I'VE FIXED THE FIRST FOUR CHAPTERS AND THE PROLOGUE! GO BACK AND REREAD IF YOU WANT! I just fixed some grammar and spelling mistakes as well as changed a few words. It's not that much different other than that.

Hiei: the onna doesn't own YYH. She does own Shadow and this story. **(turns to Sarah)** where's my sweet snow?

Sarah: here you go! **(hands over a ten-gallon container of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream) (watches in fascination as Hiei eats it rapidly and laughs when he gets a brain freeze)**

_**NOTE**_

**(Author notes)**

"_Singing"_ **(minus when in memories)**

'_Telepathy'_ **(minus when in memories)**

Memories POV change Scene change Scene change in memories 

'Thinking'

"Talking"

_**INDEX**_

_**If it's not Japanese, I'll put the language like this note is. Otherwise, assume it's Japanese. The Index is in alphabetical order!**_

Bikou: shadow

Kitsune: fox

Tenshi: angel

Yuki: snow

* * *

Chapter 5

Reunited, Admissions, and an Alias

**Last time**

She holds up a hand. "It's Shadow now. Shadow Silversong," she says. The guard nods with a grin. She smiles back and rides Yuki out of the castle and away from the capital city. In the outskirts of the city, she opens the locket and smiles when she sees a picture of a much younger Damion twirling a five-year-old image of herself over his head on one side and a picture of Damion by himself on the other side. "Thank you, Damion," she whispers.

**This time**

Shadow gently strokes Yuki's neck as the mare gallops over the forest trails. _'We'll be to the next town, soon, Yuki. I'll just filch some food for you, okay?'_ she says telepathically. Her mare looks at her with one eye as if to say, "And what about you, oh great thief?". Shadow sighs. '_I've still got some food in the pack. It's you I'm more worried about. If you get too hungry, you won't be able to move as quickly as we need to. I don't want you to have to move so fast, but we have no choice, darling. My friends are getting wise to my antics and are closing in. I can't go back with them yet. I need some more time without companions that will pester me so that I can come to terms with some things,'_ she whispers telepathically. _'I know you won't pester me, but they will. They most likely wonder why I didn't come straight back, and more importantly, two of them will wonder where I went, and I can't answer them truthfully at the moment.'_

Yuki seems to sigh and turns her head to keep moving towards the next town they both know is ahead of them. Shadow soon sees the city lights through the forest. _'I see lights, darling. We'll be there soon,'_ she murmurs. Shadow rides Yuki into the town and they slow down to a brisk walk. Being slightly after midnight, not many are out on the streets to wonder at the beautiful demoness dressed in black riding a beautiful white mare. That's good for both of them. Shadow spots an inn up ahead. She smiles slightly. Yuki, knowing what to do, continues walking past the inn as Shadow leaps from the saddle and catches onto the signpost hanging off from the side of the building.

Shadow pulls herself up on top of the sign and glances at the stable yard behind the inn that is clearly visible from her position. She moves quickly and quietly into the stable yard and grabs a rather large bale of hay from near the back of the pile that she knows won't be missed. She stuffs it into a special pack made especially for this sort of stuff. She then quickly runs out the opposite side of the stable yard from the place she had entered it. Yuki is there waiting for her. Shadow leaps into the saddle and the pair move quickly away from the town in a direction close to where they had entered. She doesn't think that they'd expect that and would get delayed by confusion.

Thankfully for them, Hiei, Youko, and Koronue are chasing them on foot while Yuki is a horse and can go much faster. **(Who'd you think was following her? The demon police? Please!) **

Yuki stops a few miles northeast of the town and Shadow leaps from her back. Pulling out some of the hay, Shadow feeds Yuki slowly so that the mare won't get sick after not having much to eat in about five days. _'I'm sorry I don't have any oats or other treats, Yuki-dear, but I didn't want to chance them getting too close,'_ she says softly. Yuki nods in understanding and eats the hay.

After Shadow had given Yuki about a quarter of the hay, they both decide it's time to continue on. In the two months that Yuki had been in Shadow's care, the mare had grown stronger and faster, and had oddly enough developed the ability to telepath Shadow in actual sentences. They hadn't dared test this ability on other beings as of yet.

With Shadow's friends

Hiei glares at the path he, Youko, and Koronue are traveling on. Shadow and her horse have been through here recently. The tracks are fresh in the dirt and all three of the demons can smell Shadow's unusual, yet beautiful, scent of fresh rain with a bit of wildflowers and wildfires thrown in. They've been tailing her for nearly a month now. None of them understand why she's running from them. Of course she knows it's them, as Hiei had an interesting, but short, telepathic conversation with her.

All they can figure out is that something is either very wrong or Shadow is very confused about some things and is trying to think things over. They figure that it's the later, since she hadn't sounded like something was wrong to Hiei, just very occupied with something. 'Why won't she tell us what's going on? Can't she tell us? Or is she trying to figure that out for herself?' he wonders, getting more and more agitated the longer the one person he had ever loved keeps evading them and not answering his attempts to speak to her telepathically.

"Hiei, glaring at the path will not make us closer to Shadow," Youko says softly, not wanting to make the agitated, short-tempered demon snap at him.

He nods, but doesn't speak. He doesn't want to lash out at his friends again. Once is bad enough, so he doesn't speak much anymore. He sighs and continues along the path with the other two, all three of them trying to catch up with their fleeing friend. Hiei glances around. They are nearing a town. Luckily, he knows the town, as he and Shadow had come here several times before Youko and Koronue had joined them. "Let's cut through the forest. There's a path heading northeast that ends near the Eastern Mountains that way," he says, pointing to the north.

Youko and Koronue only nod. They all figure that Shadow is trying to lose them and have come to the conclusion that she'd take the ways that she would believe they'd least expect. But she is becoming sloppier, for some reason unknown to them.

With Shadow and Yuki two days later

Shadow studies the pass in front of her. It separates into three separate branches. She had figured out yesterday how to cast a masking spell on herself and Yuki that would hide their scents and energies so that it would make it harder for her friends to follow them. And since Yuki is an Elvin-bred horse, one can't see her hoof prints easily unless they are looking at them with their heads inches away from the prints.

Finally, she decides to take the right one, which leads towards a forested part of the mountains. She knows that Youko, Hiei, and Koronue had slowed down when they realized that she had masked herself and her horse and have to take longer to figure out where she went once they had hit the mountain paths.

Yuki turns right and they continue on their way. Less than two hours after they took the path, they reach a dead end between several huge oak trees lined up in two straight lines and a cliff. Yuki turns to go back but both horse and rider freeze upon seeing three shadows making their way towards them. 'Dammit!' Shadow growls to herself. 'It's them. I know it's them! Damn, damn, damn! I was too sloppy!'

'_Don't be hard on yourself, dear,'_ Yuki says softly in her mind. _'We both knew they'd catch up sooner or later. It just happened that they caught up today.'_

Hiei is the first to see the two watching them in silence. He nudges the other two and points at them. The three demons move quickly and are soon standing about five feet from them. "Shadow," Hiei whispers.

Shadow raises her ice-colored eyes to meet his crimson ones. "Hi, guys," she whispers back, her voice rather hoarse. She hasn't spoken one word verbally since she had told the guard at the palace that her name is now Shadow Silversong. And that was over two months ago.

"Why were you running from us?" Koronue asks the question all three males are wondering.

Shadow lowers her eyes. "I had some things to figure out that I needed to be alone to do so," she whispers, still hoarse.

She glances up as Youko walks up beside her. "Why did you leave in the first place?" he asks.

Shadow sighs. "That's a long story," she whispers. "Let's find a place to rest before I explain." The guys nod and follow Shadow to a nearby cave. Once settled, with Shadow leaning against Yuki for support. It had started raining right after they sat down and they decided to stay there until the rain stops. "I guess I should begin with who I truly am," she says softly. "Hiei already knows most of this." Hiei nods to prove her correct. "My real name is Princess Lunetta Avian, Second in line for the Throne of Makai." Youko and Koronue find their eyes growing wide already. "I didn't enjoy my life at the castle and often snuck away in my first ten years of life, much to the annoyance of my caretakers. Then, a few days after my tenth birthday, I met Hiei after I snuck away through a secret passage connecting my bedroom at the castle to an abandoned temple several miles away. He had been using the temple as a place to hide for a bit." Hiei nods again, showing the truth of that. "We agreed to meet one week after we first met so that I could escape my old life at the castle and become a thief with him." She pauses. "I also haven't been truthful to any of you about my full heritage." Hiei turns to look at her in surprise. "I'm one-half elemental tenshi and one-half bikou kitsune," she says.

Youko nods. "So that makes you a dark angel, then?" he asks.

Shadow nods. Koronue suddenly realizes something. "That could be your alias, Shadow!" he says excitedly.

Shadow blinks. "The Dark Angel?" she asks, a smile spreading slowly across her face. "Interesting; nice ring to it. I like it."

"It suits you," Hiei says, nodding to show his approval.

Shadow grins at him. "Thanks," she says. "Now, we all have an alias … but why did _I_ have to be the last one to get an alias!"

Youko laughs. "Because we couldn't find anything that suits you," he teases, putting an arm over her shoulder.

Shadow bats it away. "No touchy," she says, grinning to show that she's teasing him.

Yuki decides to cut in on their games. _'The rain has stopped, you know,'_ she says in all their minds.

Youko, Hiei, and Koronue stare at the horse. "Did she just _talk!"_ Koronue and Youko chorus.

Shadow grins. "Yuki is an Elvin-bred horse. Most Elvin-bred horses have at _least_ one gift they can evolve to beat even the best of youkai. And all Elvin-bred horses have endurance and speed that can't be matched by any other being."

'_You forgot that Elvin-bred, when paired with the rider that matches them perfectly, can learn many more gifts and become even faster and stronger,'_ Yuki adds in. Shadow nods, smiling slightly at the shocked looks that Youko, Hiei and Koronue are wearing. After the three males are done being shocked, the five **(yes, _five!_ Shadow, Yuki, Youko, Hiei, and Koronue make five)** of them leave to head to the dojo that had been claimed as their own, Shadow riding Yuki while the other three walk beside them.

* * *

Sarah: ooh. That was nice. Well, Shadow's got her alias, at last. And Youko, Hiei, and Koronue are back for good … or are they? You'll have to find out on the next installment of "Rise of the Dark Angel"! 


End file.
